Refrigerator cabinet and method of making same



1945- E. E. NOFZINGER 9 9 REFRIGERATOR CABINET AND METHOD-OF MAKING SAME Filed Dec. 19, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l /0 F/GT .2

- INVENTOR. E7462. 5. Y/VOFZ/A/GEZ BY if)? j I Jam 2, 1945. NOFZINGER 23%24 REFRIGERATOR CABINET AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Dec. 19, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 451. 5 NOFZ/A/G'fje ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 2, 1945 REFRIGERATOR CABINET AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Earl E. Nofzinger, Greenville, Mich, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Gibson Refrigerator Company, Greenville, MiclL, a corporation of Michigan Application December 19, 1940, Serial No. 370,858

6 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerators and more particularly to the supporting structure for the compressors and condensers thereof.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a simple and economical supporting structure for a compressor-condenser unit which serves as the sole means for tying together the lower edges of the refrigerator cabinet shell, and in which the base of the supporting structure forms the base of the refrigerator.

A further object of the invention is to provide an ecomical one piece base for a refrigerator cabinet.

Another object is to provide a novel method of manufacturing a supporting structure of the type mentioned above whereby the formation of scrap metal is minimized.

The foregoingobjects and others more or less related thereto are obtained by forming from a single sheet of metal a one piece base for a refrigerator and a pair of upstanding condenser supporting brackets.

The base is formed to provide; (a) a flange about its perimeter adapted for telescopic engagement with and permanent attachment to the lower edges of the vertical walls of a cabinet shell; (1)) integral downwardly extending legs to space the base from the urface on which it is supported; relatively large openings for the circulation of air through the base; (d) an integral raised seat for a compressor surrounding one of the large openings whereby a compressor may be mounted over and exposed to the air circulating through the opening; and (e) a plurality of relatively small openings adapted for the reception of securing means for attachment of a compressor and its associated parts to the base.

The condenser supporting brackets are formed to provide: a) laterally projecting flanges on one vertical edge for the attachment thereto of a condenser; and (b) offset tongues on its upper and lower ends for securement to the base and the back wall of the refrigerator. The condenser supporting brackets are fashioned from sheet metal blanks severed from the aforementioned base when certain of the large openings are formed in the latter, thusconservin material.

It will, of course, be understood that by fashioning the base and condenser supporting brackets from a single sheet of metal the entire compressor-condenser supporting structure can be fabricated from a minimum number of parts, as well as with a minimum number of operations, and at a greatly reduced cost as compared with supporting structures employed heretofore. Furthermore, the supporting structure can be assembled as a unit and secured to the cabinet by simple welding operations, and the compressor-condenser unit and associated parts can be secured to the supporting structure with greater facility and economy.

' A preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a refrigerator cabinet shell to which the invention has been applied;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a unitary base, with a compressor mounted thereon and shown in dotted lines;

Figure 3 is a front view in elevation-of the base shown in Figure 2, without the compressor;

Figure 4 is a side view in elevation of the base shown in Figure 2, without the compressor;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the supporting structure on the line 5-5 of Figure 2 and showing the relation thereto of the lower edges of the vertical walls of the refrigerator shell of Figure l as well as the compressor-condenser unit; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 56 of Figure 2 and also showing the relation thereto of the lower edges of the refrigerator shell of Figure 1 and the compressor-condenser unit.

Figure 1 of the drawings illustrates the outer; sheet metal shell of a refrigerator'cabinet which includes substantially imperforate side and top walls, a back wall which terminates above the bottom of the shell and thereby forms an opening at the back of the machinery compartment, a front wall formed to provide an opening to the food storage compartment in the upper part of the cabinet and an opening to the machinery compartment in the lower part of the cabinet at the front thereof, a unitary base l0 secured to the lower extremities of the vertical walls of the shell, and a pair of laterally spaced apart condenser supporting brackets II on opposite sides of the opening to the machinery compart ment in the back of the cabinet.

The supporting structure which constitutes the present invention consists of the base l0 and the upstanding condenser supporting brackets II. This supporting structure receives and forms the sole support for a compressor-condenser unit. The compressor-condenser unit comprises a compressor 8 and a condenser 9, shown in dotted lines in Figures 1, 2, 5 and 6. as well as tubing and pipe fittings necessary to connect them' The latter are omitted from the drawings.

The details of the base ID are best shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. The base consists of a single sheet of metal formed to provide an upstanding iiange l2 about its perimeter. I order to form suitably rounded corners at the front of the base 10, notches i3 and M are cut out of the flange [2 at these corners. At the rear corners the flange I2 is shown as split so as to form a sharp right angle and to constitute a substantially continuous flange in these regions.

Adjacent each corner of the base 10 the sheet metal is depressed to form integral downwardly extending supporting legs l5, which serve to space the base above the surface upon which it is supported.

A pair of vertically spaced apart upstanding ribs I! and I8, which extend from near the front to near the back, are formed in the midportion of the base. These two ribs are connected by a transversely extending similar rib l9. As best shown in Figure 2, openings 20, 2|, 22 and 23 are formed in the base of the plate adjacent the ribs IT, IS and I9 and the side walls of each of the ribs extend substantially normal to the general plane of the base whereby the ribs are of channel section (see Figure 6).

It will be noted that the openings 20 and 23 are of very irregular shape. These openings are formed by severing from the plate a pair of sheet metal blanks from which the condenser supporting brackets H, which will be described more fully later, are formed. The blanks are shaped so as to provide means for attachment thereto of the condenser 9.

In addition to reducing the weight of the base construction, providing means for the circulation of air therethrough, and providing metal for the brackets II, the openings 20, 2|, 22 and 23 serve to facilitate the formation of the ribs l1, l8 and [9. The ribs ll, i8 and I9 serveto provide a seat for the compressor 8 which seat surrounds the opening 22 and thereby locates the compressor over that opening. The compressor is secured to the ribs l1 and 18 by means of studs 24 engaging openings providedfor that purpose in the ribs and in the compressor. As best shown in Figure 6, there is associated with the studs 24 springs 25 to provide a resilient mounting for the compressor.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that when the compressor is mounted on the base it is exposed to air circulated through the opening 22 which circulation is expedited by reason of the base being spaced from the surface upon which it is supported, and is also exposed to the circulation of air over the surface of the base by reason of being raised above the surface of the base.

The condenser supporting brackets II are formed, as heretofore mentioned, from the material severed from the base when the openings 20 and 23 are for-med. After severing the blanks, the lateral projections on one edge are bent in opposite directions, as shown at 30, 3| and 32 respectively, in Figure 5. It will be seen that flanges 30 and 32 project rearwardly and flange 3| projects forwardly. The upper and lower ends of the brackets H are also offset slightly so as to receive the upstanding flange l2 of the base and the lower end of the back wall of the cabinet. The two brackets I l are secured to the base by welding the lower ends of the brackets to the upstanding flange l2. The condenser 9 is mounted between the brackets II in an inclined position as shown in Figures and 6. The ends of the condenser 8 are secured to the flanges 30, 3| and 32 in any suitable manner.

The compressor-condenser supporting structure, consisting of the base I0 and brackets II, is assembled in telescopic engagement with the lower edges of the vertical walls of the cabinet shell. Its arrangement is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the vertical side walls of the shell being indicated by the numerals 26 and 21, and the vertical front wall being indicated by the numeral 29. The remote upright edges of the brackets i I are welded to the upright rear edges of the side walls 26 and 21. While it is preferred, as above stated, to weld these joints, it will be understood that other means of fastening the parts together may be employed.

The compressor-condenser supporting structure above described not only serves to mount the compressor-condenser unit but as the sole means for tying together the lower edges of the cabinet shell. Thus it serves a dual purpose. at the same time eliminating the need for the multiplicity of parts heretofore employed for such purposes. In addition, the method of inanufacturing the base and condenser supporting brackets from the same piece of metal minimizes the formation of scrap metal when the parts are formed.

While only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described, it will of course be understood that the inven tion is not limited to that one embodiment, but on the contrary, is co-extensive with the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A unitary pressed sheet metal base for a refrigerator cabinet comprising a single sheet of metal having a plurality of downwardly extending legs integral therewith to space the base from the surface upon which it is supported, said base having a plurality of spaced apart openings of substantial size therein and a plurality of upstanding ribs integral with said base and positioned on opposite sides of one of said openings to form a raised seat adapted to receive a' compressor unit whereby said compressor unit is mounted over said last mentioned opening and is spaced laterally from another of said openings.

2. A supporting structure for a compressor-condenser unit for a refrigerator comprising a one piece pressed sheet metal base and a pair of spaced apart upstanding condenser supporting brackets secured to an edge of said base and adapted to receive a condenser therebetween, said brackets having laterally extending flanges thereon for attachment to said condenser, said base having integral legs extending downwardly therefrom to space the base from the surface upon which it rests, a raised seat for a compressor unit integral with said base, and a pair of openings in said base on opposite sides of said seat to permit the passage of air through said base.

3. A supporting structure for a compressorcondenser unit of a refrigerator comprising a one piece pressed sheet metal base having a substantially continuous upstanding perimetra-l flange, a plurality of integral legs extending downwardly from said base inwardly from the perimeter thereof to space the base from the surface upon which it rests, integral ribs extending upward y from said base to form a raised seat for a compressor unit, and a pair of spaced apart upstanding condenser supports secured to said fiange'on said base at one side of the latter, said brackets being adapted for attachment to adjacent edges of the vertical walls of the cabinet and having means thereon for attachment thereto of a condenser.

4. A unitary pressed sheet metal base for a refrigerator cabinet comprising a single sheet of metal having a plurality of downwardly extending legs integral therewith to space the base from the surface upon which it is supported. said base circulated through said opening and over the top of the base.

5. A supporting structure for a compressorcondenser unit for a refrigerator comprising a one piece sheet metal base having a. plurality of downwardly extending legs integral therewith to space the base from the surface upon which it is an supported, and an upstanding condenser supporting bracket struck from the metal of the base whereby to provide an opening through said base, said bracket being integrally united with said base and having means thereon for the attachment of a condenser thereto, said base being provided with a plurality of upstanding ribs integral therewith toform a raised seat for a compressor, one of said ribs being positioned closely adjacent an edgeof said opening.

6. As an article of manufacture, a unitary supporting structure for a compressor-condenser unit for a refrigerator comprising a one piece sheet metal base and a pair of spaced apart upstanding condenser supporting brackets integral therewith, said brackets being struck from the base and having means thereon for the attachment of a condenser thereto.

EARL E. NOFZINGER. 

